Short-finned pilot whale encounters with human swimmers

During human-dolphin in-water encounters, dolphins initiate a variety of behaviors which are directed towards human swimmers. Short-finned pilot whales show aggressive as well as passive and curious behaviors in the presence of human swimmers. E.g. during the curious behavior 'encircling' mostly one or two pilot whale/s swim/s around a swimmer in circles at the water surface for several times. The radius is <3m. Click ...here... to see some of these behaviors on video.

In May 1992 a swimmer entered waters south off Hawaii and swam with a group of short-finned pilot whales. During the encounter one whale dramatically changed its behavior and finally attacked the swimmer by opening its mouth and grabing the swimmer's inner left thigh. Seconds later the human swimmer was drowned to 40 feet below the surface. Finally, the swimmer was brought back to the water surface. The scenario was filmed underwater and can be viewed on YouTube (...here...).The woman survived this life-threatening attack. Besides this aggressive interaction with a free-ranging animal, a captive pilot whale was reported to progressively initiate more violent attacks on humans entering its tank.